Device for transporting a stack formed by open egg cartons, separating device for the egg cartons and stacking device for the emptied egg cartons

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for transporting a stack formed of a plurality of open egg cartons, which are arranged on top of one another and filled with fresh eggs, to a separating device for the egg cartons and to a stacking device for the emptied egg cartons, wherein said transport device is to be designed such that the stacks formed of the egg cartons can be transported without damaging fresh eggs, regardless of the nature of the stacks, and moreover de-stacking can be carried out without manual activities. According to the invention, the stacks formed by egg cartons arranged on top of one another are transported on platforms ( 11 ) to a destacking station ( 15 ) in order to support the respective bottom egg carton in the stack over the entire surface area. For this purpose, the respective bottom egg carton of the stack rests on support panels ( 12 ) provided with centering elements ( 14 ), which positively engage in the respective bottom egg carton in the stack from the lower face. The device according to the invention is particularly suited to separate the egg cartons which are transported away from a refrigerated warehouse and filled with fresh eggs and to subsequently empty said cartons.

The invention relates to a device for transporting El. stack formed from multiple open egg packages, which are arranged one over another and are equipped with raw eggs, as well as a separating device for the egg packages and a stacking device for the emptied egg cartons.

In operations for producing food, boiled eggs are processed in relatively large quantities. The raw eggs are boiled in boiling machines especially designed for this purpose and subsequently peeled.

It has been shown that optimum processing of the eggs is provided if the raw eggs are stored for a specific time in a cold storage warehouse. The eggs are introduced into the egg packages by the operations which raise laying hens. These egg packages are also referred to as filler flats. These are molded parts which are provided on both sides with protrusions and depressions. However, only one side is equipped with eggs. This side is designed so that the eggs are optimally protected against damage or breakage of the egg shells. The egg packages can each accommodate 30 eggs, and are designated as 30-egg filler flats. The eggs are arranged in rows, five eggs being arranged in one row and six eggs being arranged in the row extending perpendicularly thereto. For later removal of the eggs, they are always introduced into the egg packages with the tip upward, i.e., the tips of the eggs protrude in relation to the egg package. Furthermore, the egg packages are designed so that multiple egg packages can be arranged one on top of another in a stack. Six egg packages are typically placed in one stack. The egg packages are alternately arranged in a position rotated by 90° to one another, i.e., in a specific and uniform direction, five eggs are located in the row in one egg package and six eggs are located in the row in the egg package above it. Each egg package consists of a stacking side which receives the eggs and a bottom side which is placed on the eggs of the egg package located underneath. The egg packages are also designed so that the tips engaging in the stacking side are enclosed as flatly as possible, so that breakage of the egg shells is avoided. The egg packages are predominantly produced in the compression method from a material, which was produced by recycling of paper and paperboard. This material can absorb a relatively large amount of moisture and these egg packages are usable multiple times, however, it is not possible to prevent them from being damaged during transport or storage.

Therefore, egg packages made of a plastic are also already known.

After the removal of the stack from the cold storage warehouse, moisture condenses on the eggs, which penetrates into the egg packages if they are manufactured from a cellulose-containing recycled material. The stability of the egg packages is thus reduced. however, it must be ensured that they can nonetheless be transported by means of a conveyor for further processing.

The invention is based on the object of designing a device of the type described in greater detail at the beginning so that the stack formed from the egg packages can be transported without damage to raw eggs independently of its composition, and, in addition, the destacking can be carried out without manual activity.

The stated object is achieved in that the stack, which is formed from multiple egg packages arranged one on top of another, for the utilization of the entire area of the respective bottom egg package in the stack, are transportable on platforms to a destacking station, and the platforms have support plates, which are provided with centering elements, which engage in a formfitting manner from the bottom side into the respective bottom egg package in the stack.

Since the open egg package is designed as a molded part having indentations, a utilization of the entire area is to be understood to mean that the surfaces lying in one plane are supported in their entirety on the support plate of the platform. Displaceability of the individual egg packages within the stack is thus prevented, since the eggs introduced into the egg packages are accordingly to be viewed as spacers. Since the centering elements engage from the bottom side in a formfitting manner into the respective bottom egg package in the stacks a displacement of the stack on the support plate is also effectively prevented. Through the support of the entire area in conjunction with the centering elements, optimum protection is produced for the raw eggs.

In order that sufficient stability of the platforms is given, it is provided that they are designed as U-shaped in cross-section, the parallel webs being oriented opposite to a placed stack, i.e., since the platforms are transported in a horizontal plane, these parallel webs point downward. To separate the egg packages arranged in the stack, it is provided that the platform to be destacked can be placed on the lift table, a drive of the lift table is controllable by means of at least one feeler, preferably a contactless feeler, such that the respective top egg package is always in the same position with respect to the height, and the lift table is rotatable by 90° via a controller after each removal of an egg package. The rows formed from the raw eggs thus always stand in the same position for the destacking.

In a further embodiment, it is provided that the separation of the egg packages arranged in the stack can be carried out by means of a filming device, which has at least two, preferably four controllable gripper arms, which are movable along a horizontal guide path, which preferably extends transversely to the conveyor direction of the platforms, by means of a controllable drive. If this turning device is provided with two gripper arms, these gripper arms grasp the open egg package on two parallel long sides which are opposite to one another. Because of the flexibility of the egg packages, however, it is advantageous if the turning device is equipped with four gripper arms, which grasp the egg package on all four long sides. This turning device is further designed so that it is also movable in the vertical direction, so that the eggs of the egg package located underneath come free from the bottom side of the egg package to be turned.

In a further embodiment, it is also provided that the gripper arms are movable along a guide path extending transversely to the transport direction of the platforms, so that each egg package can be placed on an intermediate conveyor by means of the gripper arms. By means of this intermediate conveyor, the egg packages are transported to the removal station for the eggs. This is performed in a known manner via suction cups, which accept the tips of the eggs through the suction effect. They are then supplied in a way known per se to a machine for further processing.

A space-saving embodiment results if the intermediate conveyor is located parallel and at a distance to the transport direction of the platforms, and the transport direction of the intermediate conveyor extends opposite to the transport direction of the platforms. The travel distance for the gripper arms is thus also minimized, whereby the performance of the device is optimized. The egg packages are usable multiple times or many times. However, it must be ensured that optimum protection of the raw eggs is ensured. It is therefore provided that a sensor for the state ascertainment of the emptied egg packages is arranged on the outlet side of the intermediate conveyor or connected downstream from this intermediate conveyor.

A stack is then formed from the reusable egg packages, while the egg packages which are no longer reusable are discarded.

For the stacking of the empty egg packages, it is provided that they are successively placed on a stacking table. Since the weight of the egg packages is relatively low, but the protrusions of the stacking side are to solidly engage in the depressions of the bottoms side of the respective following egg packages, however, to form a solid stack, it is provided that after each placement of an egg package in the forming stack, the egg package placed on the stack is pressed into the egg package located underneath by means of a contact pressure device. This contact pressure device consists of two pivotable contact pressure plates in a preferred embodiment, the pivot axes lying in the incoming transport direction of the empty egg packages to be stacked. However, if an egg package is to be discarded, because it is unusable, the contact pressure plates remain in the contact pressure position, i.e., in the horizontal position, so that the egg package to be discarded slides away over them. If an egg package to be stacked is transported in, the contact pressure plates are vertical or approximately vertical. These egg packages can then be manually removed by a chute.

For the transport of the platforms, it is provided that they are pulled or pushed by means of a continuous conveyor drivable in cycles, and carriers are arranged at intervals on the continuous conveyor, which press against or engage in stops arranged on the bottom side of the platforms. It is advantageous in this case if the platforms are provided with casters, which roll on fixed guide rails.

The invention will be explained in greater detail on the basis of the appended drawings.

In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows the device according to the invention for separating a stack in a perspective view looking toward the transport section for the platforms,

FIG. 2 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 1, but seen from the side of the intermediate conveyor.

The device 10 shown in FIG. 1 for separating multiple open egg packages stacked one on top of another having raw eggs contains a first horizontal conveyor, which has a revolving chain, which is provided with carriers, and is used for transporting platforms 11, on which the stacks are placed. As shown in FIG. 1, each platform 11 contains a flat support plate 12, which is equipped on both sides with pairs of casters 13. The platforms 11 are provided on the top side with centering cones 14, so that they can always be transported in the same position into a destacking station 15. The first horizontal conveyor is driven in cycles, since the destacking of the egg packages occurs at a standstill. For this purpose, the separating station 15 has gripper arms 16, 17, which grasp the egg package on all four sides and accordingly accept the respective top egg package by closing, i.e., the gripper arms 16, 17 are moved toward one another. By means of a drive (not shown in greater detail), the two gripper arms 16, 17 are then moved transversely to the transport direction of the first horizontal conveyor, until they are located above an intermediate conveyor 18. By lowering and subsequently opening the gripper arms 16, 17, the egg packages are then successively placed on this intermediate conveyor 18. This intermediate conveyor is also driven in cycles and transports in the direction toward a conveyor belt 19 operating transversely to this conveyor. The eggs are removed from the egg package by suction plates having suction cups and laid on the conveyor belt 19. They are supplied therefrom to a further processing machine, for example, a boiling machine.

As the figures show, the intermediate conveyor 18 is located parallel and at a distance to the first horizontal conveyor. A space-saving embodiment is thus achieved. In a way not shown in greater detail, the second horizontal conveyor is also driven in cycles. The stack to be destacked remains on the platform 11 during the de stacking. This platform is continuously raised by a lift device, so that the top egg package stays at the same height. The control is preferably performed by at least one contactless feeler, for example, by a light barrier. After each removal of an egg package from the stack, a rotation of the platform and therefore of the stack by 90° occurs. A state ascertainment unit, which has a sensor to recognize and later discard soiled or damaged egg packages, is provided in the region of the outlet-side end or in the region of an intermediate conveyor 18. In a way not shown or described in greater detail, the reusable egg packages can be stacked by means of a stacking device 21.

After each placement of an empty egg package on the forming stack, this egg package is pressed down, so that a solid stack is formed. This is performed by contact pressure flaps which are pivotable around horizontal axes. These axes extend in the incoming transport direction of the empty egg packages. An egg package to be discarded slides over the contact pressure flaps, since they remain in the contact pressure position in such a case. The egg packages to be discarded can then be removed by a chute 20.

FIG. 2 shows the device from the side where the conveyor belt 19 for transporting the eggs removed from the egg passages for transport into a machine for further processing is arranged.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrated exemplary embodiment. It is essential that the stacks formed from the egg packages are placed on platforms 11 which have flat support plates, so that the bottom egg package in the stack is supported over the entire area. 

1. A device for transporting stacks formed from multiple open egg packages arranged one on top of another and equipped with raw eggs, and a separating device for the egg packages and a stacking device for the empty egg packages, characterized in that the stacks formed from multiple egg packages arranged one on top of another are transportable on platforms (11), for the utilization of the entire area of the respective bottom a package in the stack, to a destacking station (15), and the platforms (11) have support plates (12), which are provided with centering elements (14), which engage in a formfitting manner from the bottom side in the respective bottom egg package in the stack.
 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that each platform (11) is designed as U-shaped in cross-section, the parallel webs of a placed stack being oriented in the opposite direction.
 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the platform (11) to be destacked can be placed on a lift table, a drive of the lift table is controllable by means of a feeler, preferably a contactless feeler, in such a manner that the respective top egg package always stands in the same vertical position, and the lift table is rotatable by 90° via a controller after each removal of an egg package.
 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the separation of the egg packages arranged in the stack can be carried out by means of a turning device, which has at least two, preferably four controllable gripper arms (16, 17), which are movable along a horizontal guide path, which preferably extends transversely to the conveyor direction of the platforms (11), by means of a controllable drive.
 5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the turning device having the gripper arms (16, 17) is movable in the vertical direction.
 6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripper arms are movable along a guide path extending transversely to the transport direction of the platforms (11), and each egg package can be placed on intermediate conveyor (18) by means of the gripper arms (16, 17).
 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the intermediate conveyor (18) is located parallel and at a distance to the transport direction of the platforms (11), and the transport direction of the intermediate conveyor (18) extends opposite to the transport direction of the platforms (11).
 8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate conveyor (18) is provided on the outlet side with a sensor, or a sensor is connected downstream from the intermediate conveyor (18), respectively for the state ascertainment of the emptied egg packages.
 9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reusable egg packages are stackable by means of a stacking unit (21), and a contact pressure device is to be assigned to the forming stack such that the respective egg package placed on the stack can be pressed into the egg package located underneath.
 10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the contact pressure device consists of two pivotable contact pressure plates, the pivot axes lying in the incoming transport direction of the empty egg packages to be stacked, and the unusable egg packages can slide over the contact pressure plates in the contact pressure position and can be supplied to a chute (20). 